The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-10-06
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have 10 Say About
Their Old Campaigns
Its Colonel ReseHts ImputatiOus upon ns Conduct
At Baton Rouge.


has been called by late private of the llth
Me 10 the account of the battle of Baton Rouge,
by WILDER III. Mebber, Co. III, 9th Mich, pub
lishcd IN your paper Aug. -, 1857, with the
request that j would reply to it, Although
] am not i'm the habit of noticing published
statements, deem it proper in this instance 10
make reply.
That so-called description Of the battle Of
Baton Rouge is fair sample of the method of
q class of writers who never are satisfied with
their efforts unless they contain stratum of
false and groundless filings and accusations
against some other command than their own
as IL slandering someone else increased the
morris OF their own achievements.
As regards Nebbcrs statement that his regi-
ment treated Gen. Williams's warnings when
he reported the enemy 20 be ia force under
Gen. Breckenridge a short distance out aud
that we must be prepared Cor attack " .
in such jcering, ridiculous manner as 20
make the Generals uneasness a subject Of
laughter" have nothing TO say; but knew
then that Gen. Williams had positive infOrma-
ton rs 10 the forces in our front, and we all
knew, or might have known, that rebel force
was there for the purpose of
GIVING BATTLE.
Some weeks before the attack the l4th Me.
was moved 20 position near the junction Of
the Bayou Sara and Clinton roads, and 10 the
left OF the Gomite River road. This position
was on the extreme left of the line, aud some
distance in advance Of the position of any
other regiment.
The day before the battle Aug 4, ! was on
duty as officer of the Day ii was then Lieuten-
ant-Colonel of my regimemt1 and in the after
noon man came Ia on the Bayou Sara road
for the avowed purpose of giving us informa-
ton as TO the enemy's forces in our front. He
was detained &C the outpost till had ques-
toned him, and finding his statements evil
IDENTIFY truthful and important, i took him TO
Gen. Williams, who further questioned him.
and then sent him, in charge of an Orderly, 10
the Provost Marshal, Capt. Kiilam, 2lst Ind.
then Gen. Williams said 20 me, in substance:
Yes, Colonel. that mans statements agree
with information i had before. The enemy is
out there and is going 10 attack us very soon
probably tomorrow morning, and your regi-
ment will receive the brunt of the attack, and
want you 20 20 out proper distance on the
Bayou Sara and Clinton roads, and see if there
is a suitable position to station body of men
tOact as an ambuscading party when the enemy
advances. Ii may be of Importance, for il is an
old military maxim that Surprise is
THE MOTHER OF VICTORIES"
NJ once attended TO the order, but found the
timber so open and the land so level that
believed the chances of ambuscading would be
decidedly in favor Of the rebels, so did not at
tempt 10.
But the information and evidence of impend-
OF the Day and he and the Officer of the Guard
were instructed TO report promptly any indca-
tions OF attack which might be observed during
the night. Before daylight the next MORN
ing notice was given that il was certain that
the enemy was advancing Thereupon the
regiment was promptly turned out and formed
line of battle, aud so remained for short time,
when, as il was evident that the ball could not
open for some time, the men were ordered to
stack arms and get their breakfast as quickly
as possible, which order they obeyed, and had
time TO make their coffee and drink it before il
was necessary TO order them again into line,
when in about 10 minutes the column of the
rebels that advanced by the Bayou Sara and
Clinton roads commenced firing aud the
BALL OPENED IN EARNEST.
This attack the 14th Me- repulsed after a
short but severe conflict, and in the meantime
the column OF the enemy that advanced by the
Comte River road had become hotly engaged
with the 2lst Ind. at their camp TO our right
and rear. As the rebel left was now i'm rear of
us on our right and as the open country would
enable them to flank us on the left if they saw
fit SO to do, we took advantage of a lull in the
fight and moved back and took position in line
with and TO the left Of the 2lst Ind, which posi-
ton we held till the enemy was defeated and
routed. have before me a copy of the official
report, which shows that the loss OF the l4th Me-
In killed and wounded in that action was los:
lnd. was about the same, and in the 9th Mich
considerably less. In fact, do not believe that
any regiment on our side in that battle lost 80
killed and 260 wounded, as Webber claims for
his regiment; the more so, as know that many
OF has statements are
ABSOLUTELY ERRONEOUS.
It is true that the fighting was mainly borne
by the l4th Me-, Dist Ind. and 9Th Mich,
but this arose from their position in rela-
he Al - -.
vance, aud that by the fall Of Gen. Will
llams the other regiments were not adj
vanced ms otherwise they no doubt would have
been, and not from any fault of those other
regiments, for they were equally as good as
any engaged The Both Mass. proved itself on
other fields frst-class body Of fighters; the
9th Wis. had no superior in point OF men or
drill, and the 9TH VI was a good body Of men,
but Its ranks were then depleted by disease
contracted at Nicksburg. / think the Both
Mass lost few men, killed
Mebber says: T" do not remember seeing or
hearing anything of any general field officer
until all was over, and then they appeared on
all hands" AS a general field officer" is an
unknown designation, all regimental officers
above the rank Of Captain being known ms
field officers" and all above the rank of Col
onel ar general officers il may be doubtful
what Mebber's meaning really is :; but that ID
was intended as slur is evident, and IL in.
NtHufu 70 Apply 10 nelu OulcerS, then by its
positive terms il includes those Of his own regi-
ment in common with all others, and is am un-
just imputation for there was then NO uues-
ton that every field officer had
BEAVELY DISCHARGED HIS DUTY;
the Colonel Of the 9TH Vt. being killed the
Northumberland Keith, then commanding
the Dist Ind, being dangerously wounded, and
Maj. Bickmore, Of the l4th Me-, being 'seyerely
wounded. But III Webber means general Off
GERS, then his statement is all the more ground
less and unwarrantabIe. Gen. Williams was
the sole feldofiicer at the battle of Baton
Rouge, aud after his fall, early in the fight
there was no general officer nearer than New
Orleans ll25 miles, aud j think but two in
that Department-Gens Butler and Phelps.
Hence the statement that after all was over
they general oficers appeared on all hands,
d reflection which no soldier should allow
himself 10 make.
The facts are that upon the fall of Gen.
Williams the command of the forces would bv
seniority have devolved upon Colonel (after.
ward General Mcmillan, Of the Dist Ind, but he
was confined in quarters by gunshot wounds
received in an
ENCOUNTER WITH GUERRILLAe
short time before and il was impossible for
him 10 be upon the field Hence the command
devolved upon Col. Cahill of the 9th Conn.
who retained ituntil the return of Colonel (after
ward General) Paine, of the 9TH Wis. who nj
the time was in New Orleans but fastened
back as soon as news of the battle reached
There aud he retained the command till the
place was evacuated.
II W.afs.E faf Ia